Amazing INFINITI Project Black S at The Quail

A lot has been said about the Infiniti Project Black S since it made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, but until now the company has refused to commit from taking it from race-derived concept to reality.

But it looks as if this is all about to change as Infiniti has just announced it has enlisted Pirelli to help take the project further.

The Project Black S is, at first glance, an Infiniti Q60 coupé with a more aggressive body kit. However, peel away the spoilers and carbon fiber details and underneath the car boasts genuine Formula 1 technology courtesy of the Renault Sport Formula One team, which, like Infiniti, is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

This includes a hybrid powertrain that captures lost energy from braking and forces it back through the motor to give huge acceleration boosts when most needed.

“[Project Black S] expresses our desire to create cars that are designed to perform, marrying the potency of a high-performance powertrain with a muscular new design,” said the company’s executive design director Alfonso Albaisa. “This project has given us the opportunity to experiment with advanced materials to create a performance-inspired aesthetic that draws on Infiniti’s motorsport ties through the [Renault-Nissan] Alliance.”

Yet, until now, the company has been describing the car as little more than a feasibility study that it’s using to gauge demand if it were to launch a sportier version of its current models in line with German companies like Mercedes and Audi.

However, with Pirelli officially involved and looking for ways to bring motorsport levels of grip and handling to road legal rubber, it can only be a matter of time until the Project Black S gets an official green light. “Having another key Formula One player involved is proof of the interest it generates and will add even more focus on performance delivery,” said Tommaso Volpe, Director, Infiniti Global Motorsport.

Pirelli will be tasked with developing a set of bespoke P Zero tires for the car, as they have done for numerous supercars starting with the Ferrari F40 back in 1987.

“Pirelli’s input and knowledge, both motorsport and automotive, will be invaluable. We couldn’t be happier to have them onboard,” Volpe said.